Ras Mohammed National Park: by boat or by road, and White Island

Drive south from Sharm El Sheikh and the hotels thin out into bare, sand-coloured mountains; keep going and you reach the end of Sinai. That point, where the Gulf of Suez meets the Gulf of Aqaba, is Ras Mohammed National Park. Above water it's quiet: desert, low cliffs and a shoreline of fossil reef. Below water it's another world, and that's why almost every visitor to Sharm spends a day here. This guide covers what you'll see, the White Island sandbar, and the real difference between going by boat and by road.

What Ras Mohammed is

The park has been protected since 1983 and covers about 480 km², roughly 135 km² of land and 345 km² of sea. The numbers below the surface are what draw people: more than 220 species of coral, about 125 of them soft corals, and more than 1,000 species of fish. You'll also see it written Ras Mohamed, which is how the boats and the app spell it.

The reefs here are walls rather than gentle slopes. At Shark Reef the coral drops away more than 800 metres into deep blue, and next to it is Yolanda Reef. These are the two names divers come for. The current running round the point brings in plankton, and the plankton brings the fish, which is why the water around the tip feels so busy. It's also why the boat crew decides where to stop on the day: they pick the sheltered side.

On land there's more than people expect. A mangrove channel lines one shore, one of the few places on this coast where trees grow in salt water. Nearby is a crack in the ground left by an earthquake, about 40 metres long, with pools of water more than 14 metres deep at the bottom. Whether a trip stops at either depends on the itinerary, so don't assume it.

White Island: the sandbar that comes and goes

White Island isn't really an island. It's a long bar of pale sand inside the park, surrounded by shallow turquoise water, and how much of it you see depends on the tide: at low water there's a beach to stand on, at high water parts of it are covered and you're standing waist-deep. Italian visitors call it “l'isola che non c'è”, the island that isn't there, for exactly that reason. For a first-time snorkeller or a child, it's the gentlest part of the day: you can stand, rest and put your face in the water again when you're ready.

By boat or by road?

Most people go by sea, on a full-day boat that anchors at two reefs and White Island, with lunch on board. The road option is shorter and simpler: a bus into the park, a guided snorkel from the shore, and time on the beach. Neither is the “right” one. The boat shows you more of the park from the water; the bus suits anyone who gets seasick, or who wants to be back in the early afternoon.

A day by boat

The boat days start early: the Ras Mohammed and White Island boat trip leaves Al Sakaleyah Port at 08:30. The ride south runs along the coast, past the cliffs at the edge of the park, and the first reef stop comes mid-morning while the sea is still calm. Lunch is served on board between the stops, then the boat moves on to White Island, and on some trips to the Stingray station, before heading back in the afternoon. On the sailing yacht the rhythm is slower and a RIB runs you across to the sandbar. On the shared boat with dive options you can add a first dive with an instructor, or two dives if you're certified.

A day by road

Ras Mohammed by road leaves at 08:00 and takes about 5 hours. A bus takes you into the park, where a guide leads the snorkel from the shore, with the gear provided, and you look out towards Shark and Yolanda Reef. Then there's free time on the beach before the drive back. It doesn't go to White Island, and there's no lunch, only water and light refreshments, so bring a snack.

What's included, and what to pay on the day

• Park fee: included on the boat trip with White Island, on the boat day with Italian and Russian guides and on the road trip. On the shared boat with dive options and on the sailing yacht it's paid separately, in cash, on the day.
• Snorkel gear: included on the boat trip with White Island and on the road trip. Bring your own on the boat day with Italian and Russian guides. On the shared boat and the yacht, gear and wetsuits are hired on board.
• Lunch: a buffet on every boat, seafood on the yacht. None on the road trip.
• Diving: an intro-dive ticket on the boat trip with White Island and on the shared boat; two dives for certified divers on the shared boat.

Can non-swimmers go?

Yes, with some planning. On a boat day you can stay on deck at the reef stops, and at White Island you can wade in the shallows. Ask the crew for a life jacket and stay close to the guide if you want to try the mask. If you'd rather not get in the water at all, a glass-bottom boat shows the coral through the hull; our snorkelling guide to Sharm covers those options and how to stay comfortable in the water.

Weighing Ras Mohammed against the other big sea day? Read Ras Mohammed or Tiran. Every boat trip from Sharm is on the boat trips and water sports page.